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About Debating Society

The Debating Society is one of the largest and most prestigious societies on campus.

We run two main events a week. Our Monday workshops give you a chance to learn how to debate and refine your skills. Then come along on a Friday to see experienced external speakers battle it out! Our Friday night panel regularly includes high profile external speakers.

On Monday evenings, we run our debating work shops. These are fun sessions for all levels of debating to learn and practise skills. Exeter regularly enters and preforms well in debating competitions (IV's) which are a great fun as well as a good way boost your public speaking skills. IV's are held across the country and if you fancy a go at representing your Univeristy just talk to one of the IV o-ordinators, Alex or Liz,

In the last year, we have hosted MEPs, MPs and numerous well known public figures. We tackle big, controversial topics such as the prison system, euthanasia, nuclear power, capitalism, religion and the EU. We also hold Question Time style debates to debate the topical issues of the day. Recent speakers have included Ben Bradshaw MP, Jacob Rees-Mogg MP, Steve Gilbert MP, Sir Graham Watson MEP, The Earl of Dartmouth MEP, Peter Hitchens from the Daily Mail, Lindsay Graham of Stop the War, historian Stephen Bungay, Hannah Sell of the Socialist Workers Party and Apprentice star Katie Hopkins to name but a few.

Our debates provide an excellent opportunity to gain a new understanding of new subjects as well as a unique opportunity to network with powerful decision makers.

As well as our weekly events, the society has a hugely active social side. We run annual Winter and Spring Balls, a Pimms Social in the summer and a variety of other regular social activities.